Creativity and mental health

This week’s blog theme is Creativity and Mental Health, and with us all being in lockdown, there is opportunity to try out some new activities and potentially start some new hobbies. I took to Twitter, and asked people for the creative things they use to nurture their mental health, and here is a list of their responses. If any of them catch your eye, give them a go!

  • Reading (escaping into a new world, interpreting characters and scenes in your imagination)
  • Video Games (The Sims, Animal Crossing, Minecraft, LittleBigPlanet, Scribblenauts, Terraria)
  • Sewing, knitting, embroidery
  • Colouring (adult colouring books, colouring in mandalas or calming pictures, or colouring in angry words could function as a stress outlet. There are also colouring apps, which you can use if you don’t have access to pens or paper)
  • Scrapbooking (arranging photos and memories in a pretty layout, also is a great way to focus on happier times. The final product can also be something that you treasure for a long time.)
  • Puzzles
  • Bullet Journalling
  • Planning out your day (getting creative with coloured pens, making it look aesthetically pleasing)
  • Cooking (experimenting with different foods, writing out recipes colourfully)
  • Baking (getting creative with decorations and icing, experimenting with flavours and ingredients)
  • Making bracelets or necklaces
  • Gardening
  • Painting (this could be a ‘paint by numbers’, or freehand painting!)
  • Rearranging/redecorating your house or bedroom
  • Playing a musical instrument (composing own pieces, learning new pieces, experimenting with dynamics and interpreting the music in your own way)
  • Writing short stories or poetry
  • Dancing (not only is exercise great for your mental health, but getting creative with dance can be great for expressing emotions and feelings)
  • Going for a walk, taking photographs and editing them (see my previous blog post!)
  • Writing or drawing our your thoughts (writing doesn’t have to be in a structured way, it can be great to just let the words flow. Someone also suggested drawing what you think your thoughts resemble, to ‘bring them to life’, acknowledge them, or make sense of them)
  • Meditation
  • Making bird feeders with peanut butter and pinecones, and learning about the new birds that use it!
  • Writing a quiz and hosting it online with your friends or family
  • Creating playlists on Spotify

I hope that there’s something in there which interests you! Remember not to pressure yourself whilst doing any of these – you don’t have to be particularly good at something to enjoy it! Enjoy having some down time with yourself, getting creative, and nurturing your mental health.

Hope you’re all staying safe, remember that we are here if you need any support.

Laura